Headlines
Sonia, Sushma have battled in past as well
New Delhi, Aug 7
Congress president Sonia
Gandhi's comments on Friday, comparing External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj's remarks on the Lalit Modi issue to "theatrics" was not the
first time the two leading politicians took potshots at each other.
Sushma
Swaraj, who is among the senior ministers in the Narendra Modi
government, had challenged Sonia Gandhi for the Bellary Lok Sabha seat
in Karnataka in 1999 and made a contest out of the election on a seat
considered a safe bet for the Congress. She polled 44.70 percent votes
compared to 51.70 percent by Sonia Gandhi.
Sushma Swaraj vowed to
shave her head if Sonia Gandhi became prime minister once the
Congress-led coalition was in a position to form the government after
the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader has
since reiterated her opposition to Sonia Gandhi becoming the prime
minister.
In an interview to NDTV in 2013, when she was Leader of
the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj said her relationship
with Sonia Gandhi was "marked by civility".
She also said that
Sonia Gandhi's son Rahul Gandhi was not considered a challenge by her
party as he had not shown the mettle to be the prime ministerial
candidate.
Sushma Swaraj said the Congress did not know whether
to project Rahul Gandhi's image as "that of angry young man or a social
activist".
On Friday, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi hit out
at her over her speech in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, where she said she
had not helped former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi but his
ailing wife.
The Congress has been demanding the resignation of
Sushma Swaraj over her alleged help to Lalit Modi, who is facing an
Enforcement Directorate investigation, in getting British travel
documents.
"Sushma Swaraj theatrics mein mahir hain (Sushma Swaraj is an expert in theatrics)," Sonia Gandhi said.
During her speech, Sushma Swaraj had asked: "What would have Sonia Gandhi done had she been in my place."
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi answered the question, saying his mother would not have done anything like Sushma Swaraj.
Rahul
Gandhi also made a strong attack: "After committing a theft, thieves go
into hiding. What Sushma-ji did she did secretively. Not one person in
the (external affairs) ministry knew she was going to do this. Whenever
there is robbery or theft, a financial transfer takes place. Sushmaji's
family, her husband and daughter have received money from Lalit Modi.
She should tell the country exactly how much money Lalit Modi has paid
to her family."
The BJP leaders hit back at Sonia Gandhi over
her remarks concerning Sushma Swaraj, saying she could not even deliver a
speech without a paper.